Events in Texas and Ukraine attract hundreds of investors and high-ranking officials

Kyiv, Ukraine, 29 May 2018. The 6th edition of Empire State Capital Partners’ New Ukraine Investment Conference made the bold step this year to run back-to-back events in Texas, USA, and Kyiv, Ukraine. The “Texas New Ukraine Pavilion” was created April 20–22 in Dallas for one of the largest global Earth Day events, EarthX—attracting over 132 thousand delegates this year. The week-long conference, expo, and film festival attracted key figures from Washington including Jason Van Buren, Director of the Martin Van Buren Presidential Foundation, as well as executives and business leaders. At the Texas New Ukraine Pavilion, visitors crowded to see Ukrainian hi-tech startups such as award-winning ceramic printing visionary Kwambio, cyber security gurus Security Services Group SSG, and wearable note-taker and productivity assistant startup Senstone.

After the whirlwind Texas trip, the Empire State Capital Partners team rushed back to Kyiv to prepare for the 2018 New Ukraine Investment Conference on May 16. Former First Lady of Ukraine Kateryna Yushchenko opened the event with her address to hundreds of investors, government officials, business leaders, and senior executives: “I know all of us can’t wait to work with you to build a Ukrainian future,” she said. The high-profile international event at the scenic Parkovy convention center featured five expert investment panels with a special focus on venture investment in new technologies—a key vector of the future technological breakthrough of Ukraine’s economy.

“It was exciting and challenging to run back-to-back events in two countries,” said Alex Bart, founder and managing partner at Empire State Capital Partners. “But the experience was amazing and the senior contacts and cross-border investment opportunities were absolutely worth it. Our Kyiv event was bigger than ever this year,” he said. “The Kyiv conference included panels on communication, agriculture, energy, venture capital, and defense. Also, there was a showcase of startups, which had serious interest from foreign investors. Ukraine is well on its way to be seen as the next startup nation,” he said.

The global brand communications panel discussed the idea of “brand ambassadors” to promote Ukraine internationally. “Should we be investing more in brand campaigns?” asked panel moderator Luc Chénier of Plan C. “Because once they get here, they’re hooked,” he said.

The highlight of the event was a keynote address from the Defense Attaché of the United States. “We were honored to see U.S. Defense Attaché Colonel Quinn Wofford at this year’s event,” said panel chairman Mark J. Kilbane. “The presence of such senior officials as the U.S. Defense Attaché and Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine Dmytro Shymkiv highlights the importance of Ukraine’s defense acquisitions and foreign sales to foreign investors and governments.”

Some key conference speakers also included Doug O'Neill, Deputy Economic Counselor from the U.S. Embassy; Carl Sturén, Founder and President of “Vindkraft Ukrainan;” John Shmorhun, CEO at AgroGeneration; Acting Chairman of the State Property Fund of Ukraine Vitalii Тrubarov; and Ruslana Lyzhychko, world-famous Ukrainian singer and green energy activist.